Exercising apparatus to aid in the practice of yoga



April 23, 1968 P. J. GUZALDO BXERCISING APPARATUS T0 AID IN THE PRACTICE OF YOGA Filed Jan. 7, 1965 IN VEN TOR Pe ier J Gzzzaldo (KM Off 3,379,434 EXERCISING APPARATUS TO AID IN THE PRACTICE OF YOGA Peter J. Guzaldo, 3168 Patton Drive, Des Plaines, Ill. 60018 Filed Jan. 7, 1965, Ser. No. 424,007 3 Claims. (Cl. 272-60) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Exercise apparatus which consists of a self-supporting stand having a floor and vertical supports upstanding therefrom upon which a cross bar is adjustably arranged. The apparatus is particularly adapted for exercise wherein the user positions his body with the head down, as in certain Yoga postures.

This invention relates to apparatus adapted to aid persons in carrying out more effectively certain physical exercises, particularly those involving head stands or head-and-shoulder stands.

For example, the science of Hatha Yoga, the Yoga of physical perfection, advocates various postures of the body combined with deep breathing and relaxation. Among these postures are included those described as the shoulder-stand, in which the back of the head and the shoulders touch the floor and the remainder of the body is held vertically while braced with the arms; the headstand, in which the top of the head bears on the floor and the rest of the body is vertical, with the arms bent and employed as braces, and the head-lotus posture, which is similar to the head-stand except that the legs are interlocked in the well-known lotus position.

The novice usually encounters difficulty in accomplishing the foregoing postures and requires assistance in inverting the body and maintaining the routine positions. Accordingly, the assistance of another person becomes necessary. Obviously, it is desirable to minimize the burden on the assistant or to dispense with one entirely.

Accordingly, the present invention has for its main object, the provision of apparatus so constructed and arranged that the neophyte may occupy the prescribed postures while in a supine position with his ankles or feet suitably secured, and may then be rotated 90 or substantially 90 by an assistant, whereupon the assistants services may be dispensed with while the prescribed posture is maintained for as long as desired. Thereafter, the

practitioner may resume a normal position unaided, or

the assistant may be called up to restore the person and apparatus to their initial position.

Other objects are to provide apparatus as aforesaid which is of light weight, simple in construction, inexpensive, compact for use in the home, capable of being readily disassembled for convenience of shipment and storage, and arranged so that the assistants task may be made as effortless as possible.

Further objects and advantages will become apparent from the ensuing description which, taken with the accompanying drawing, discloses a preferred form which the invention apparatus may assume in practice.

In this drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of apparatus embodying the principles of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical medial cross section thereof; and

FIG. 3 is a cross section, somewhat enlarged, taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

Regarded in its broad aspect, the invention comprises a framework preferably constituted from tubular material for combined lightness and rigidity. Secured to portions of the framework is a floor, preferably cushioned, to

provide a comfortable surface to receive the head, shoulders and/or arms of the person and a wall upon or against which the person may respectively, lie or lean, depending upon whether the apparatus is in a position to receive the person horizontally or vertically. In the foregoing connection, it is pointed out that the apparatus is primarily adapted for use by the novice who must initiate his posture with his body horizontally, in which case he begins in this position and is tilted to the vertical by an assistant. However, a novice will, as a result of practice, gradually dispense with the need for the initial horizontal phase and can then dispense with assistance or not, depending upon his progress. The apparatus includes a crossbar at some predetermined distance from the floor and this bar carries a pair of loops or equivalent expedient to receive the feet or the ankles so that the novice may avail himself of such additional support until such time as his development allows him to dispense with the same. Since the initial supine position need not be truly horizontal, it is preferred to provide a pair of legs at one end of the framework, regarded in its horizontal position, in order that the assistant, in tilting the apparatus to working position, is not required to expend too much effort. To lend flexibility, means are provided for adjusting the position of the cross-bar to accommodate persons of different height, or to accommodate those situations wherein the head is resting on its top or rear. Moreover, by means of appropriate joints, the whole apparatus may be disassembled for compactness in transportation and for storage, particularly in the home.

Turning now to the drawing, the invention is shown, by way of example, as comprising a framework of tubular material including laterally positioned bottom members 11-11 united by a strut 12 and, in turn, abutted to and joined with rear uprights 13-13. Such joints may be welded. At this juncture, it is to be noted that where reference is made in this specification to members being united or words of similar import, it will be understood that such union of parts is intended to refer to the apparatus when in its useful form, since it will be apparent that any such joints may be so constituted as to allow the apparatus to be knocked down for convenience of shipment .or storage. In some instances, some joints are distinctly illustrated as disconnectible, but these are preferred points of disconnection and are not to be regarded as limitative.

The bottom members 11-11 are, respectively, provided with opposite, vertically extending sockets 19-19 which may be aligned with the strut 12. Each socket is provided with an integral male portion 21-21 adapted to be snugly engaged by the lower .open end of two upright front members 23-23, these latter being desirably aligned with the rear upright members 13-13 and, for convenience, formed continuously with struts 25-25 which are continuations of the rear members 13-13. Horizontal struts 26 and 27 serve to rigidity the members 13-13 at the top and bottom, respectively.

The struts 12 and 27 are each provided with lugs 32 upon the upper surface of which is positioned a floor in the form of a board 33, this latter substantially filling the space defined by the frame members 11-11, 12 and 27. An upholstered pad 40 rests on the board 33 and, if desired, may be secured thereto permanently or, to facilitate cleaning and renovation, detachably, as by screws 34 passing through holes in the lugs 32 into a frame upon which the pad is constructed.

A horizontal supporting bar 41 is arranged to span the upper part .of the apparatus, and is carried at its ends by a pair of struts 42-42 having means at their ends to effect vertical adjustment of the bar 41 relative to the uprights 13-13 and 23-23. As shown exemplificatively,

such means takes the form of sleeves 44 adapted to slide freely on the uprights. Each of the latter is provided with a plurality of spaced apertures 46, say 1" apart and adapted to receive smoothly-fitting, headed pins 47 passed through an aperture in the sleeve 44. Thus, to effect such adjustment, the pins are simply retracted, the bar 41 and its co-joined struts 42-42 shifted up or down and the pins re-inserted. Obviously, any equivalent adjusting means may be employed.

To assist the novice, the bar 41 may be provided with a pair of loops 49, say of flexible leather or plastic, within which the feet or ankles may be retained to steady the upper part of the body, keeping in mind that, at this point, the person is inverted. For further versatility, the loops 49 may be supported in turn on attaching loops 51, and a swivel joint employed. Thus, the loops 49 may be readily positioned to support the feet or ankles with optimum comfort. Moreover, the loops 51 may be secured laterally on the bar 41 or arranged to slide, depending upon the users preference for a particular posture.

Inasmuch as the apparatus is capable of being used either in an initially upright position (as shown) or in an initially horizontal or substantially horizontal position, it is preferred to include a panel 53 of plywood or the like to serve, in its primary significance, as a reclining board when the person is initially supine, or as a back rest during the inverted position of the body. Such panel is desirably attached through the use of lugs 55, at selected points, and screws, much in the same manner as the board 33.

As heretofore mentioned, early stages of training require the person to occupy a supine position and to be raised to the vertical by an assistant. Although the apparatus as described may be rotated 90 from the position shown so that the rear uprights 13 are adjacent the floor, it is preferred to rotate the apparatus less than 90 to reduce the effort required of the assistant. To this end, a pair of outstanding legs 57-57 are attached to the uprights 13-13 at some predetermined distance from the bottom thereof, such as to provide, when the apparatus is tilted downwardly, an angle of repose of say 15 to to the horizontal, although such range is not to be regarded as critical. The legs 57-57 may be rendered detachably securable in the same way as the uprights 13-13 and 23-23, and for the same reasons.

If desired, the lower ends of the members 11-11, 13-13 and 57-57 may be fitted with crutch tips 61 to resist sliding and to protect the surface upon which the apparatus rests.

Assuming use by a person who has become reasonably adept in the postures for which the apparatus is designed, the apparatus will occupy the position shown.

Accordingly, the person can assume any of the headdown postures by resting his head, or head and shoulders, on the cushion and raising the rest of his body to the prescribed erect position. He may thus remain with his feet free or insert them or his ankles, through the loops 4949 as he wishes. Or he may simply rest his heels against the back board 53.

On the other hand, a novice will require that the apparatus be in the substantially horizontal position as determined by the legs 57. He will then assume a supine attitude with his head, or head and shoulders, against the cushion 40, whereupon the assistant will tilt the thusoccupied apparatus to the vertical position, as illustrated.

Obviously, the person may, prior to being elevated, utilize the loops 49-49 or simply arrange that his feet rest behind the bar 41. To this end, the bar may be adjusted as hereinabove set forth.

It will be apparent that the members 11 will protrude forwardly to an extent insuring against toppling of the apparatus when it is occupied. If desired, these members may protrude rearwardly also for the same purpose. It will be noted that these same members may be gripped by the hands while the persons head is resting on the pad 40 thereby to provide a fulcrum when the head-stand is to be realized. These members, being above floor level, will yield better balance than the floor itself, as would be the case with the conventional procedure.

While I have shown one embodiment of my invention,

it will be understood, of course, that I do not wish to be limited thereto since many modifications may be made and I, therefore, contemplate by the appended claims to cover any such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for the purpose described comprising a rectangular base of rigid, structural members, a pair of forwardly-positioned, laterally-spaced, upright, rigid, structural members secured at the lower end to the front of said base, a pair of rearwardly-positioned, laterallyspaced, upright, rigid, structural members secured at the lower end to the rear of said base, a pair of horizontal members, each thereof extending between respective front and rear members at both sides of the base, means interconnecting the ends of each horizontal member to its respective front and rear members for vertical adjustm nt of the horizontal members and a transverse member secured at each end to respective horizontal members whereby the horizontal members are adjustable vertically as a unit, said horizontal member providing a support for the persons feet when his trunk is inverted and a head and shoulder-supporting surface carried on said base.

2. The combination in accordance with claim 1 further characterized by the provision of a second supporting surface in a vertical plane spaced rearwardly of the axis of the transverse member extending between and secured to respective ones of the rearwardly-positioned upright members.

3. The combination in accordance with claim 1 further characterized by the provision of a leg secured to and extending rearwardly of beyond each of said rearwardlypositioned upright members, said legs projecting outwardly beyond said base whereby, when the apparatus is let down to a lower, non-vertical position, said second supporting surface is inclined.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,744,594 1/1930 Trzesniewski 272-57 X 1,837,872 12/1931 Johnson. 1,993,409 3/1935 Leech 272-57 2,305,548 12/1942 Nichols 272-57 2,764,412 9/1956 Dunham 272-58 3,077,347 2/1963 Nova 272-57 X RICHARD C. PINKHAM,Primary Examiner.

ANTON O. OECHSLE, Examiner.

L. I. BOVASSO, P. E. SHAPIRO, Assistant Examiners.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,379,434 April 23, 1968 Peter J. Guzaldo It is certified that error appears in the above identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 4, line 45, the claim reference numeral "1" should read 2 Signed and sealed this 19th day of August 1969.

(SEAL) Attest:

Edward M. Fletcher, Jr.

Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents WILLIAM E. SCHUYLER, JR. 

